electronic vs manual...powder scales?

T

Trapper Luke

New member
Alright so looking to buy a powder scale but cant decide if I wana buy an electronic or a manual one? The electronic one is suppose to be faster but not as accurate? On the other hand the manual one is accurate but is pretty slow which I can vouche for this cause I use my dads right now and that is by far the slowest step in reloading for me. Back to the electronic one I dont shot in comptetions or anything so I dont have to have that exact powder measurment every time. All I do is hunt with mine. For you guys that own an electronic scale would you recommend one or would it be better off to stick with the manual ones?

Thanks,
Luke
 
I use a RCBS 750 that has been excellent. No problems at all. I always verify against my RCBS 505 with no issues.


For me the electronic is a good amount faster.


Probably just personal preference and possibly how much a person loads.

I use a AP press for my bulk stuff and I use two scales to verify the charge on it regularly. The RCBS 750 is one I use.

Hope that helps.
 
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I've used electronic scales for years and had no problems. As far as which one is more accurate, I have no clue but for the purposes of handloading both are plenty accurate for me.
Both have their pros and cons.

Digital scales are generally faster to use and don't require that you have an idea on the nominal weight of something before you actually weigh it. They can be effected by slight drafts electrical interferences from flourescent lighting.

Beam scales have to be dead level to work correctly, also require draft free area. To save time using them you should at least have a very good idea of the weight of the item being weighed.
 
Unless you plan to go with a powder dispenser and scale combo I'd go with a regular beam scale. If you go with a powder dispenser like the RCBS Chargemaster or equivalent there is considerable time savings and they are very accurate as well.
 
I use the Lyman

I think you should be able to find it cheaper...mine was $279 but that was a couple years ago.
I would highly recommend this product, it speeds up the process a bunch. Put the unit on the repeat mode and you can seat a bullet while the pan is filling.

ETA- oops had to deleate that link
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...it was my log in! midwayusa search lyman dps
 
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I like both, however for different reasons.

If you are using a powder thrower, electronic all the way...much quicker and easier.

If you are using dippers and trickling to weight, balance beam rules the roost there. The electronic scales (most of them) don't refresh fast enough to keep up with your trickling accurately...thus slowing the entire process down significantly.
 
I my self will stick to the old tried and true balance beam for weighing powder. But for weighing brass or bullets I think they would be just fine.

I just have a hard time trusting an electronic scale when it comes to weighing powder. Just my opinion is all.

DAB
 
Originally Posted By: joshua79109I use a RCBS 750 that has been excellent. No problems at all. I always verify against my RCBS 505 with no issues.


For me the electronic is a good amount faster.


Probably just personal preference and possibly how much a person loads.

I use a AP press for my bulk stuff and I use two scales to verify the charge on it regularly. The RCBS 750 is one I use.

Hope that helps.

+1
 
I use the Frankfort arsenal electronic scale for most of my loading all i do is hunt with my loads but when i do sight my guns in or try new loads i always get less than 1 in accuracy which is great for hunting loads, when i want to see what a gun will do i use my beam scale i realy dont care if my reloads shoot one shot holes because in the real world i dont have a bench and sand bags while hunting and ive never had any trouble getting the job done.They are pretty descent scales for the money.
 
Originally Posted By: Trapper LukeThe electronic one is suppose to be faster but not as accurate? On the other hand the manual one is accurate but is pretty slow which I can vouch for this cause I use my dads right now and that is by far the slowest step in reloading for me. Back to the electronic one I don't shot in competitions or anything so I don't have to have that exact powder measurement every time. All I do is hunt with mine. For you guys that own an electronic scale would you recommend one or would it be better off to stick with the manual ones?

Thanks,
Luke

Luke,

I have an electronic scale the I would put up against any
manual scale, and kick their teetering butt!
thumbup1.gif

It is a Denver Instruments MXX-123(Also sold under the
AccuLab VIC-123). It is accurate to +/- .02 grains. I would
like to see you get that accuracy out of a balance
beam(typically +/- .1 gr). The MXX-123 comes with precision
weights to calibrate it. Now the bad parts of the MXX-123.
It requires clean power, and it does not like florescent
lighting, or air flow around it when measuring. It truly
is a precision scale. Oh, it isn't cheap, either. But it
is ACCURATE, and FAST.

Interesting article on the MXX-123:
http://www.6mmbr.com/mxx123test.html

I believe it has been re-packaged now by Acculab as the
VIC-123. Same scale, different nomenclature.

I have spent money on the $100 range scales, and they are
not worth the money. I have heard good things about the
RCBS Chargemaster, for fast charge weighing, in hunting
loads, but there is also a fair number of people that have
had problems with them. YMMV. Before I would spend my money
on the RCBS Chargemaster, I would buy a good powder measure,
and a VIC-123.

Squeeze
 
Get a Chargemaster or kick yourself for not getting one sooner.

Measured charges are actually more accurate, according to most benchrest people.
 
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The RCBS Chargemaster Combo ( with powder dispenser) with the 1500 scale is on sale at Natchez for $250.00. That's as cheap as I've ever seen it
 
I use the Hornady L N L digital Scale accurate to .01 grain
the best part it has a three speed dispenser and cost under
$200, I've had it for 1+ years now with no problems. I also have a RCBS beam scale which I check the Digital every 10
loads for accuracy, have had no problems there either.
 


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